Electrical fuse or junction box.



No. 718,632. PATEN'IED JAN. 2.0, 1903.` M. H. JOHNSON. ELECTRICAL FUSE0R JUNCTION BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1902. x0 MODEL.

L l, v l.. .m .my mw l 7 a N. W M@ UNITED STATES ICE..

TENT

ELECTRICAL FUSE OR'JUNCTION BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,632, dated January20, 1903.

Application filed May 31, 1902. Serial No. 109,650. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it wtf/.y concern:

Beit known that I, MONTGOMERYH. JOHN- SON, of Utica, in the county ofOneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electrical Junction or Fuse Boxes; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the iigures of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide an improved junction orfuse box of that class which are adapted to be placed in the walls of abuilding and in which the movable, delicate, and visible parts arereadily removable and may be removed while the box or casing is beingplaced in the wall in the construction of a building.

By means of my invention a fuse or junction box is provided in which theabove results are attained, and which is simple and strong in itsconstruction and in which the electrical connections are surely andperfectly made when the parts are completely assembled.

In the drawings, Figurel shows a cross-section, on an enlarged scale,taken on line A B of Fig. 2,0f myimproved junction-box. Fig. 2 shows aplan view of the construction, except as to a small. portion of thetablet, which is broken out. In this figure the cover is shown removed.

Referring to the reference figures in a more particular description, 1indicates the bottom, and 2 the side walls, of the outer box or casing.The bottom of the box is provided with an insulating lining-piece 3, andthe side Walls of the lower portion are provided with insulatinglining-pieces 4 4. Inlet and outlet openings for conductors are providedin suitable numbers into the bottom portion of the box, and theseopenings are preferably provided with insulating tubes or bushings, as5. Asuitable number of circuit-terminals 6 are provided. These are of aZ-shaped form and secured to the lining 4 by a screw or bolt 7, with thelower arm projecting toward the center of the box and the upper armoverlying the edge of the liningpiece 4. branch circuits are attached,by a screw or other suitable means, to the lower arm of the terminalpieces 6. The removable tablet 9, of insulating material, is mounted onthe edges of the lining-pieces 4, or, more properly, on the overhangingarm or branch of the circuit-terminal 6, and is secured in place by thescrews 10. It is further secured in place by the upper or outerlining-pieces 11. The end construction of the box is similar to the sideconstructions described, except, preferably, that the main circuits(indicated by a. b) are brought into the end of the box through aconstruction similar to that described for the branch circuits, andparticular description of these may be omitted. The main circuitsconnect with the bus-bars 12 13, arranged on the under side of thetablet 9.

On the face of the tablet 9 are arranged switches, fuse-wire, anddistributing connections in suitable numbers. These are connected upbetween the bus-bars and the terminals 6, as follows: The screw 10, aswell as securing the tablet in place, also connects the tablet-terminal14C with the casing-terminal 6. On one end of the tablet-terminal isprovided a binding-screw 15, which secures one end of the fuse-wire 16.The other end of the fuse-wire is secured by a binding-screw 17 in anelectrical connection with the contact-pieces 16 of the switch. Theopening and closing switch-blade 19 is adapted to establish connectionbetween the switch-con tacts 18 and the fulcrum pieces 20. The switchblades are preferably arranged in pairs, secured to a cross-bar 21, andprovided with a handle 22, by means of which the switches are manuallyoperated. The switch fnlcrum-piece 20 (shown on the right-hand side ofFig. 1) is put in electrical connection with the bus-bar 12 by a crossstrap 23. The next adjacent pivotal mounting 20, preferably of the samepair of blades, connects directly with the bus-bars 13 through themedium of screws passing through the tablet and engaging the bus-bar. Asection taken on line O D of Fig. 2 would show exactly the reverse ofthe arrangement shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Between the section ofbusbar, as 13, which is opposite the switchmounting 20, not inelectrical connection The Wires or conductors 8 of the IOO therewith,there is preferablyinserted apiece of mica 24, which more certainlyinterrupts or prevents electrical currents jumping the space and passingfrom the bus-bar to the screws 25 and 2G, which secure this mounting onthe tablet.

While the rough building-work is going on, the tablet 9, together withthe mechanism and devices mounted thereon and the liningpieces l1, allof which are usually highly finished, are removed from the casing. Theelectrical connections in the lower part of the box can be adjusted,manipulated, and arranged when the tablet is removed. The finalassembling of the box is a very simple matter, simply requiring theplacing of the tablet in position and placing and tightening the screws10, which secure the tablet and establish the electrical connections. Inaddition to this the lining-pieces ll ot' course have to be inserted.

The box Or casing is provided with a cover 30, which is preferablyprovided with aglass panel 3l.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination in a fuse or junction box of an outer box or casing,a lining for the bottom and lower portion of the box, openings forelectrical conductors into the said lower portion, ixed terminal piecessecured in said lower portion of box, a removable tablet carrying theelectrical4 distributing or other mechanism mounted on said tablet withcircuit-terminals juxtaposed with the casingterminals and screwsengaging said tablet and casing-terminals electrically connecting themand securing the tablet in position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a fuse or junction box of an outer box or casing,a lining for the bottom and lower portion of the box, conductor-openingsthrough the sides into said bottom portion of box, fixedcircuit-terminals secured in said lower portion of box, a removabletablet of insulating material substantially litting the outer box orcasing and mounted on the edge of the lining of said lower portion ofbox, electrical distributing or other apparatus mounted on said tablethaving circuit-terminals juxtaposed with the box or casing-terminals,means for detachably connecting the tablet and casing-terminals andmeans for securing said tablet within the box or casing, substantiallyas set forth.

In witness whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 27th day of May, 1902.

MONTGOMERY H. JOHNSON.

XVitnesses:

S. I. DE VINE, S. R. BROWN.

